{"id":"CVE-2016-3298","published":"2016-10-14T02:59:13Z","modified":"2026-06-17T00:45:27Z","title":"Microsoft Internet Explorer Messaging API Information Disclosure Vulnerability","vendor":"Microsoft","product":"Internet Explorer","tier":"core","eol":{"product":"Internet Explorer","since":"2022-06-15","note":"No security updates; remove it."},"description":{"text":"Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 through 11 and the Internet Messaging API in Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, and Windows 7 SP1 allow remote attackers to determine the existence of arbitrary files via a crafted web site, aka \"Internet Explorer Information Disclosure Vulnerability.\"","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"summary":{"text":"The flaw is an information disclosure vulnerability in Microsoft Internet Explorer 9 through 11 and in the Internet Messaging API in Windows Vista SP2, Windows Server 2008 SP2 and R2 SP1, and Windows 7 SP1. A remote attacker who lures a user to a crafted web site can determine whether arbitrary files exist on the victim's system, and this requires no authentication but does require the user to visit the page.","provenance":"ai","model":"claude-haiku-5-5","generatedAt":"2026-10-23T07:13:42Z"},"cvss":{"score":6.5,"severity":"MEDIUM","version":"3.1","vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N","provenance":"source","from":"NVD"},"epss":{"score":0.33332,"percentile":0.98366,"date":"2026-10-28","provenance":"source"},"kev":{"dateAdded":"2022-05-24","dueDate":"2022-06-14","ransomware":false,"requiredAction":"Apply updates per vendor instructions.","notes":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3298","provenance":"source"},"vulncheckKev":{"dateAdded":"2016-04-12","exploitedFirstSeen":"2016-04-12","ransomware":true,"evidence":[{"url":"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lkNJ0uQwbeC1ZTRrxdtuPLCIl7mlUreoKfSIgajnSyY/edit","date":"2016-04-12"},{"url":"https://api.msrc.microsoft.com/cvrf/v3.0/cvrf/2016-Oct","date":"2016-10-11"},{"url":"https://www.proofpoint.com/us/threat-insight/post/microsoft-patches-CVE-2016-3298-second-information-disclosure-zero-day","date":"2016-10-11"},{"url":"https://web.archive.org/web/20220227045141/https://risksense.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/RiskSense-Spotlight-Report-Ransomware.pdf","date":"2019-09-01"},{"url":"https://cybersecurityworks.com/pdf/ransomware/Spotlight_Ransomware2021.pdf","date":"2021-02-11"},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/feeds/known_exploited_vulnerabilities.json","date":"2022-05-24"}],"evidenceTotal":6,"provenance":"source"},"exploited":true,"otx":{"pulseCount":50,"pulses":[{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 29, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae20c1db17e7057ae7d9ad1","created":"2026-10-28"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 28, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ae0ba7e0e2a97ff7b218819","created":"2026-10-27"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 27, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adf68b85c3e852f3c111d18","created":"2026-10-26"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 24, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6adb740e397c3ad4799aa4cd","created":"2026-10-23"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 23, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ada236fcfba2dfa730ea482","created":"2026-10-22"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 22, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad8d33a077cbb5cab524d80","created":"2026-10-21"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 21, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad78130c4d1ac2be83a8b6d","created":"2026-10-20"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 20, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad62f63c24a405a3423cc13","created":"2026-10-19"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 19, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad4dda174e5797d0bd238b7","created":"2026-10-18"},{"name":"Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 18, 2026","url":"https://otx.alienvault.com/pulse/6ad38c22e1848f8189d1c121","created":"2026-10-17"}],"provenance":"machine"},"cwes":[{"id":"CWE-200","name":"Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor"}],"references":[{"url":"http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93392","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036992","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-118","tags":["Patch","Vendor Advisory"]},{"url":"https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-126","tags":["Patch","Vendor Advisory"]},{"url":"http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93392","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036992","tags":["Broken Link","Third Party Advisory","VDB Entry"]},{"url":"https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-118","tags":["Patch","Vendor Advisory"]},{"url":"https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2016/ms16-126","tags":["Patch","Vendor Advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2016-3298","tags":["US Government Resource"]}],"techniques":[{"id":"T1083","name":"File and Directory Discovery","tactics":["discovery"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-cve","bases":["ctid-cve","ai-mapping"],"basisDetail":"CTID attack_to_cve (Phase 1); claude-haiku-5-5: reveals existence of files on victim system","mappingType":"uncategorized","evidence":[{"from":"description","quote":"determine the existence of arbitrary files","start":174,"end":216}],"confidence":"medium","confidenceNote":"AI-mapped from the description (quote-validated, not expert-reviewed)"},{"id":"T1189","name":"Drive-by Compromise","tactics":["initial-access"],"provenance":"source","basis":"ctid-cve","bases":["ctid-cve","ai-mapping"],"basisDetail":"CTID attack_to_cve (Phase 1); claude-haiku-5-5: victim visits attacker-crafted website triggers exploitation","mappingType":"uncategorized","evidence":[{"from":"description","quote":"allow remote attackers to determine the existence of arbitrary files via a crafted web site","start":148,"end":239}],"confidence":"medium","confidenceNote":"AI-mapped from the description (quote-validated, not expert-reviewed)"}],"reports":[],"affected":[],"advisories":[],"euvd":{"id":"EUVD-2016-4330","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2016-4330","exploited":true,"exploitedSince":"2022-05-24","provenance":"source"},"exploits":[],"exploitSources":null,"exploitRefs":[],"flow":[{"stage":"related","techniques":["T1189","T1083"],"provenance":"source"}],"timeline":[{"date":"2016-04-12","kind":"exploited-reported","label":"Exploitation first reported (VulnCheck KEV evidence)","url":"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1lkNJ0uQwbeC1ZTRrxdtuPLCIl7mlUreoKfSIgajnSyY/edit","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2016-10-14","kind":"published","label":"Published (NVD)","url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-3298","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2022-05-24","kind":"kev","label":"Added to CISA KEV","url":"https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog","provenance":"source"},{"date":"2022-05-24","kind":"euvd-exploited","label":"ENISA EUVD: exploited","url":"https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/vulnerability/EUVD-2016-4330","provenance":"source"}],"speed":{"daysToPublicExploit":null,"firstExploitFrom":null,"daysToKev":2048},"priority":{"score":57.2,"factors":[{"name":"In a KEV catalog","points":35.0,"detail":"listed in CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV"},{"name":"Recent KEV listing","points":0.0,"detail":"added 3852 days ago"},{"name":"Known ransomware use","points":10.0,"detail":"CISA KEV and VulnCheck KEV: Known"},{"name":"EPSS percentile","points":19.67,"detail":"percentile 0.9837"},{"name":"Named in threat reports","points":0.0,"detail":"0 reports"},{"name":"Public exploit code","points":0.0,"detail":"none found"},{"name":"Mentioned in OTX pulses","points":3.0,"detail":"50 pulses"},{"name":"CVSS severity","points":4.55,"detail":"base score 6.5"},{"name":"End-of-life product","points":-15.0,"detail":"No patches exist; remove or isolate it"}]},"lineage":{"familyId":"fam-class-microsoft-internet-explorer-cwe-200"}}